The Morning
I woke up in my childhood bed on game day this week to watch the Gators square off against the Bulldogs. I was born and raised in Jacksonville and this game holds a very special place in my heart not only for the fact that it’s played in my backyard, but also because going to this game is one of the earliest memories I have of being a fan of the rivalry. There’s just something about the morning of the game that feels so right. I made a quick cup of coffee, loaded up the car with chairs, tables and beverages and made the short trek to downtown Jacksonville to partake in what will always be known as the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.
The Tailgate
Usually in this segment I talk about the games I watched and the ones that shocked me before going into the Gator game. But on Florida-Georgia, I don’t watch noon games. I don’t know why, but it just feels like the game I’m tailgating at is the only one that matters.
We set up right next to the big Maxwell House plant in downtown Jacksonville which is like a 20-minute walk to Everbank Field. The fans all dressed in the red and black or blue and orange. Music is blaring from speakers scattered around River City on one of the only days of the year it’s acceptable to have a beer in your hand before nine in the morning.
The smell of bourbon rips through the streets of Jacksonville like a cold northeastern wind and the anticipation for game time is building. Our tailgate this week consisted of loud music and drinking games before rushing to the stadium just in time for the National Anthem.
The Game
Coming into the game I was nervous about the Gators’ performance. It’s been weeks since we’ve seen competence on offense, and Georgia had nothing to lose with a quarterback in Jacob Eason that was due for a breakout game. Looking at Georgia’s roster, I can’t figure out why their struggles have been so noticeable. Tons of talent on defense and what should be a dominant running game has laid dormant for the first half of the season. Everything was pointing to a close game with critical moments happening late in the second half.
The game started like a nightmare for the Gators as quarterback Luke Del Rio rolled to his right and through a ball late over the middle that was intercepted. The cardinal sin for a quarterback, especially in this league. Luckily the best part of the Gator team got to come out on to the field and hold the Dawgs to just three points. The offense looked to be a little bit stagnant but they were able to put together a few nice drives in the first half that had me feeling hopeful.
The second half was basically just a battle of who was going to get the shortest field to score and lull the other team to sleep. Luckily, that was the Gators. It felt like they had a short field the entire second half. Georgia’s defense put up a good fight but their offensive inability to run the ball really “muzzled” the Dawgs.
Overall, this one was boring, folks. A win over a big rival, but boring. I’m still looking for an offensive identity to go along with this very special defense. With a statement win over the Dawgs and a little help from our old friend, Will Muschamp, the Gators are in the driver seat and they have a little room to spare going into this last stretch of tough SEC road games. This is something that I did not think they would have at this point in the season after all this team has been through.
One thing is for sure, this team has a lot of heart. Each week they keep hearing about how bad they are on offense or how they haven’t played anyone, or how they are going to lose possibly three games in November, but they just keep winning, and really, that’s all you can do.
The Aftermath
The parking lots after the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party look like a warzone. I saw a woman passed out on a curb, a few heated arguments between fans and some people being placed in the back of police cars. All of these things are pretty much considered the norm when you leave the game.
After a long day of tailgating and suffering through a CBS game that felt like it took six hours to play, I could finally relax and watch the nightcap games.
My mind was on nothing other than today’s win, then all of a sudden it hit me – Wait just a second, how did South Carolina beat Tennessee? I mean really, I know the Vols have had their fair share of injuries but you just cannot lose that game. Especially to a quarterback who should be in high school.
The Clemson-FSU matchup lived up to the hype, that’s for sure. A shootout until the end with Clemson eventually prevailing is pretty much exactly what I hoped for.
What a weekend, and what a football season it has been so far. What’s even better… the best is yet to come.